Clean with Green! - 7 benefits of green cleaning

Posted: Jul 28 2016

This article has been adapted by our friends over at care.com

As lives become busier, over-scheduled and more stressful, it's easy to gravitate towards the latest products that promise to make annoying chores even easier. Need a bathroom cleaner? On your next trip to the store, you grab one of the many bright and colorful bottles promising to be a quick fix. But did you ever think about what's in that container?

Whether you're a housekeeper who cleans with these products all day or someone who cleans your own home regularly, you should take the time to consider it.

Most are made up of harsh cocktails of chemicals, which can be bad for your health -- and your kids' health. As people rethink what they're bringing into their homes, they're looking for greener solutions.

Healthier HomeIf you go green, "No longer will there be chemicals absorbed into the skin or breathed in by the person cleaning," Reichert says. Health benefits extend to family members who are no longer breathing in cleaners lingering in the air and sitting on surfaces.

Studies have shown that using a household cleaning spray, even as little as once a week, raises the risk of developing asthma. Snow says that using green cleaning products can reduce the chances of developing asthma, which "today is the most common chronic illness and the leading cause of school absences due to chronic illness across the country."

Purer EnvironmentWhen you use many cleaning products, "harmful chemicals are being released into the environment," says Reichert. Not great for you and the people around you to breathe in.

Changing to greener methods, "helps reduce pollution to our waterways and the air and it minimizes your impact on ozone depletion and global climate change with fewer smog-producing chemicals," advises Snow. Many green products also use recyclable packaging which minimizes waste.

Better Air QualityAs with most people, Snow can't stand the "stench of strong chemical odors." Many green cleaning products -- including store bought and ones you can make at home -- include pleasant natural essential oils. Reichert even refers to cleaning with these products as her "aromatherapy."

Less Expensive"For home cleaning, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, etc. can do the trick for pennies on the dollar, compared to buying conventional cleaning products," Snow says. Why go out and buy products when you can use things you already have in your pantry?

Investing in green products also makes sense for companies. "The cost of environmentally friendly cleaning products has become much more competitive, while cleaning in an environmentally sound way reduces the risk of sick days for employees and the risk of fires and chemical spills," mentions Snow.

Fewer AntibacterialsDo you really need to look for products that say "antibacterial"? "We're now told by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that washing with antibacterial soaps isn't any better than regular soaps, and the American Medical Association (AMA) says that the frequent use of antibacterial ingredients can promote bacterial resistance to antibiotics," Snow says. "Triclosan, a common antibacterial agent found in many soaps, [may] mess with your hormonal system and thyroid. Most green or environmentally friendly cleaning products don't contain antibacterial agents."

More Knowledge of IngredientsGovernment regulations don't require ingredients to be listed on any cleaning products. This is another reason Reichert is a strong advocate for making your own products at home, so "you know exactly what the ingredients are in your cleaning recipes."

As concerns for health become more prevalent and people become more aware of the harsh effects cleaning chemicals are having, they're going back to basics and looking for greener ways to clean. To hear our experts tell it, the benefits speak for themselves.

Looking for some eco-friendly cleaning options? check out our Acid Replacement for use in the bathroom and kitchen. Also try our Multi-Purpose Cleaner for safe use anywhere in your home!

Comments

Nice information in the article. I would like to mention that green products are not harmful and they save money in the long term.
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Thanks.

Posted by Lillian Schaeffer on September 21, 2016

This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that green cleaning means having a healthier home. I’ve been extremely busy recently, so I’ve been thinking about hiring a service to do some cleaning for me, but I’ve been worried about chemicals. I’ll definitely look into finding a green service so I don’t have to worry about anything unhealthy in my home. Thanks for the great post! http://shorecleannj.com/services/commercial/